DGAP-News: freenet AG welcomes ISS' recommendation that Sunrise shareholders should vote AGAINST the proposed acquisition of UPC Switzerland (deutsch)

freenet AG welcomes ISS' recommendation that Sunrise shareholders should vote AGAINST the proposed acquisition of UPC Switzerland

DGAP-News: freenet AG / Schlagwort(e): Stellungnahme
freenet AG welcomes ISS' recommendation that Sunrise shareholders should
vote AGAINST the proposed acquisition of UPC Switzerland (News mit
Zusatzmaterial)

11.10.2019 / 14:51
Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.

freenet AG welcomes ISS' recommendation that Sunrise shareholders should
vote AGAINST the proposed acquisition of UPC Switzerland

Büdelsdorf, 11 October 2019 - freenet AG ("freenet") [ISIN DE000A0Z2ZZ5]
welcomes the recommendation from Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"),
the leading independent proxy advisory firm, that shareholders should vote
AGAINST the proposed capital increase and the acquisition of UPC Switzerland
("UPC") by Sunrise Communication Group AG ("Sunrise").

freenet has previously voiced its concerns about the all-cash structure of
the proposed UPC acquisition to the Board of Directors of Sunrise from the
outset, and has remained consistent in its view throughout. The proposed
transaction is expensive and given the cable industry's as well as UPC's
challenges, Sunrise shareholders will pay too much for UPC. It will destroy
shareholder value. The proposed acquisition of UPC is clearly not in the
best interests of Sunrise and its shareholders and therefore should be
rejected at the EGM on 23 October 2019.

freenet is pleased that ISS as an independent body agrees with the views
freenet has expressed about the proposed acquisition, which freenet believes
would result in significant value destruction for all existing Sunrise
shareholders.

Key Quotes from the ISS Report:

- "The main point of contention in this deal is valuation. [.] Our valuation
analysis suggests a fair value range of CHF 4.6-5.2 billion (Enterprise
Value) for UPC [.]. The transaction consideration of CHF 6.3 billion appears
excessive considering UPC's operational issue."

- "Sunrise appears to be overpaying for assets in a transaction that appears
to have debatable long-term strategic merit."

- "[.] the benefits of the proposed deal are less obvious, as cable's
competitiveness vis-à-vis fibre and 5G is questionable."

- "The initial market reaction on announcement was decidedly negative, [.]
such a reaction is arguably not atypical for a deal of this size. The clear
pattern and magnitude of the share price [.] is more unusual."

For the reasons outlined above and in a recent freenet letter to Sunrise
shareholders, freenet reiterates its intention to vote AGAINST the proposed
acquisition and the corresponding capital increase at the EGM on 23 October
2019.

**********************************

Investor Relations Contact:

freenet Aktiengesellschaft
Investor Relations

Deelbögenkamp 4c
22297 Hamburg
Phone: +49 (0) 40 / 513 06 778
Fax: + 49 (0) 40 / 513 06 970

Email: [e-mail]
www.freenet-group.de

Zusatzmaterial zur Meldung:

Dokument: http://n.eqs.com/c/fncls.ssp?u=MSLVHVNSTG
Dokumenttitel: freenet AG welcomes ISS recommendation

11.10.2019 Veröffentlichung einer Corporate News/Finanznachricht,
übermittelt durch DGAP - ein Service der EQS Group AG.
Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.

Die DGAP Distributionsservices umfassen gesetzliche Meldepflichten,
Corporate News/Finanznachrichten und Pressemitteilungen.
Medienarchiv unter http://www.dgap.de

Sprache:        Deutsch
   Unternehmen:    freenet AG
                   Hollerstraße 126
                   24782 Büdelsdorf
                   Deutschland
   Telefon:        [phone]
   Fax:            [phone]
   E-Mail:         [e-mail]
   Internet:       www.freenet-group.de
   ISIN:           DE000A0Z2ZZ5, DE000A1KQXU0
   WKN:            A0Z2ZZ , A1KQXU
   Indizes:        MDAX, TecDAX
   Börsen:         Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard);
                   Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover,
                   München, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
   EQS News ID:    889111

   Ende der Mitteilung    DGAP News-Service
889111 11.10.2019

	 ISIN  DE000A0Z2ZZ5  DE000A1KQXU0

	AXC0153    2019-10-11/14:52